Sharing nude photos online is not love, puts women at risk – Shikongo
Police Inspector General Joseph Shikongo has urged young women to stop sharing nude photos of themselves with romantic partners as a gesture of love.
He warned that sharing explicit images does not equate to demonstrating love but instead exposes women to risks, including cyberbullying and harassment.
The police chief made the remarks during the second edition of the Namibia National Women’s Conference in Helao Nafidi on Saturday.
He also criticised women who meet men online and soon afterwards send them explicit images.
“You hardly know the person, and now they are in possession of your naked pictures,” Shikongo said.
“Even the ones you know, stop sharing your nudes. That is not love. How were you showing each other love before phones existed?” he said.
“This exposes you to cyberbullying, blackmail, as the person keeps asking for money or threatens to leak the pictures, or sexual grooming through digital platforms,” he added.
He cautioned that too many Namibians are addicted to social media and overshare personal information, engage with strangers and meet unknown individuals without taking sufficient precautions.
Shikongo also warned against the 'Dubai trend' of women going on lavish trips with strangers, saying it could potentially put them in great danger.
Harmful cultural norms lead to GBV
Shikongo further underscored that financial stress, substance abuse, risky relationships and power imbalances are some of the factors contributing to a surge in gender-based violence (GBV) against women and girls.
He urged parents to guard their families' well-being, warning that broken families can lead to emotional and psychological distress.
“Children may feel abandoned, confused or blame themselves. They often suffer from anxiety, depression or low self-esteem,” he noted.
He also called on women to challenge harmful social and cultural norms that discourage them from reporting abuse or that deter families from seeking justice due to fear of public stigma.
Shikongo said 4 089 GBV cases were reported during the 2024/25 financial year, a figure he described as far too high for a country with a population of just three million.
Cybercrime
Although Namibia does not have a specific law criminalising the consensual sharing of nude images between adults, the non-consensual distribution of such images could still be prosecuted under broader privacy, harassment or cybercrime provisions.
Sharing explicit images involving minors may be classified as child pornography, even if consensual, and nude photography in public or culturally sensitive areas can attract charges under public decency laws.
The women's conference, which focused on combatting GBV, took place on 8 and 9 August under the theme 'Creating the Safest Environment for Girls and Women to Live, Learn and Lead'.
He warned that sharing explicit images does not equate to demonstrating love but instead exposes women to risks, including cyberbullying and harassment.
The police chief made the remarks during the second edition of the Namibia National Women’s Conference in Helao Nafidi on Saturday.
He also criticised women who meet men online and soon afterwards send them explicit images.
“You hardly know the person, and now they are in possession of your naked pictures,” Shikongo said.
“Even the ones you know, stop sharing your nudes. That is not love. How were you showing each other love before phones existed?” he said.
“This exposes you to cyberbullying, blackmail, as the person keeps asking for money or threatens to leak the pictures, or sexual grooming through digital platforms,” he added.
He cautioned that too many Namibians are addicted to social media and overshare personal information, engage with strangers and meet unknown individuals without taking sufficient precautions.
Shikongo also warned against the 'Dubai trend' of women going on lavish trips with strangers, saying it could potentially put them in great danger.
Harmful cultural norms lead to GBV
Shikongo further underscored that financial stress, substance abuse, risky relationships and power imbalances are some of the factors contributing to a surge in gender-based violence (GBV) against women and girls.
He urged parents to guard their families' well-being, warning that broken families can lead to emotional and psychological distress.
“Children may feel abandoned, confused or blame themselves. They often suffer from anxiety, depression or low self-esteem,” he noted.
He also called on women to challenge harmful social and cultural norms that discourage them from reporting abuse or that deter families from seeking justice due to fear of public stigma.
Shikongo said 4 089 GBV cases were reported during the 2024/25 financial year, a figure he described as far too high for a country with a population of just three million.
Cybercrime
Although Namibia does not have a specific law criminalising the consensual sharing of nude images between adults, the non-consensual distribution of such images could still be prosecuted under broader privacy, harassment or cybercrime provisions.
Sharing explicit images involving minors may be classified as child pornography, even if consensual, and nude photography in public or culturally sensitive areas can attract charges under public decency laws.
The women's conference, which focused on combatting GBV, took place on 8 and 9 August under the theme 'Creating the Safest Environment for Girls and Women to Live, Learn and Lead'.
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